Which is the best vacuum cleaner 2026? We've tested over 30, here’s our favourite

Reviewed by Mumsnet home editor Poppy O'Neill: Read our in-depth Dyson V15 Detect review

Our top cordless pick - and overall the best vacuum cleaner we've tested at Mumsnet - the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute impressed me immensely. It's not Dyson's most up-to-date cordless vacuum - the latest model, the V16 Piston Animal, will set you back a whopping £750. While the V16 offers some smart upgrades, the V15 ultimately came up trumps in our tests for its outstanding suction power, ease of use and overall value for money - proving that newer doesn’t always mean better.

I found the V15 extremely powerful, performing brilliantly on both carpets and hard floors, and it effectively dealt with pet hair from my two dogs and two cats. It also converts into a handheld vacuum that's easy to use on the stairs - unlike bulkier vacuums such as our best budget pick, the Henry HVR160.

The Dyson V15 comes with three additional tools and a myriad of useful features that make life that little bit easier. These include a torque cleaner head that automatically adjusts the suction power to the task at hand, a drop-in docking station that can be wall mounted, and a 'point-and-shoot' bin emptying system that pushes out every last bit of dust, dirt and debris.

Unlike the other cordless vacuum cleaners on this page, the V15 also displays remaining charge in actual minutes, taking all the guesswork out of vacuuming so you can make sure you have enough time to whizz round the whole house. Runtime can vary between five minutes to one hour depending on whether you opt for the super-suction 'turbo' or the energy-saving 'eco' mode, but I managed around 30 minutes on the ‘auto’ setting.

Although it's a lightweight vacuum, it is heavier than some other stick models, and the power button also has to be held down continuously while vacuuming, which could prove problematic for those with joint conditions such as arthritis. But overall, the Dyson V15 Detect works beautifully and really is the best cordless vacuum cleaner for suction.

Reviewed by Mumsnet floor care editor Natasha Gregson: Read our in-depth Henry Hoover review

If your budget doesn't stretch to the Dyson V15 above, save yourself over £300 and nab the iconic Henry Hoover instead. Featuring impressive suction (if anything, a little too powerful - I even saw it pull up some loose bathroom grouting), it performs brilliantly on carpets and hair, making it one of the top vacuum cleaners to choose for any proud pet owner. 

More compact than some of the older Henrys we've seen, the HVR160 moves from room to room on four wheels and has a generous 10-metre-long cable. It also has a whopping six-litre dust bag, so you can go weeks without needing to replace it. When it does eventually need emptying, dirt and dust is contained in the HepaFlo bag itself, which means no mess and no fuss, minimising the chance of reactions for allergy sufferers.

The main downsides are that it's quite cumbersome to lug about, especially on the stairs, and the main body can get stuck round corners and doorways. I did notice a few performance issues on hard floors - the brush can sometimes push larger debris, like cornflakes, forward rather than picking it up, so you’ll need to switch to the combi tool for bigger spills.

Overall though, we really rate this as a decent cylinder vacuum. Mumsnetters also rave about how long their Henrys have lasted, with NewPanDrawer reporting: "We've had a Henry for years. Very powerful, just about indestructible, and it's often what builders and professional cleaners use." So, when you factor in cost per year, you really are getting unbeatable value for money.

Reviewed by Mumsnet home editor Poppy O'Neill: Read our in-depth Shark Stratos XL 2.6 Litre Corded Upright Vacuum Cleaner review

As the owner of four adorable yet fluffy pets, I know just how quickly fur can build up on carpets, sofas and stairs - and how important it is to have a vacuum cleaner that can actually keep up. The Shark Stratos XL exceeded my expectations, beating many other powerful models to win our coveted best vacuum for pet hair award.

Tested during early summer (aka moulting season!), the Stratos was certainly put through its paces, but it handled carpets, rugs, hard floors and even my 'dust-grabbing' door mat with ease. The suction is seriously impressive - perhaps a little too much! While it cleaned my thick-pile rug effectively with a single sweep, it was too powerful for thinner rugs and tassels, accidentally sucking them up as it cleaned.

Although it’s a bulky unit, the flexible hose and well-designed attachments made it surprisingly practical for cleaning my whole house. It was particularly effective on stairs, corners and underneath furniture - and the fact that you don’t need to haul the entire machine upstairs is ideal.

However, there's no denying this upright vacuum is big and heavy, and I'm far more likely to reach for my cordless model for a quick job than lug the Stratos out. But for a proper Sunday deep clean, it offers phenomenal cleaning power that rivals other premium models I've tested - such as our top pick, the Dyson V15 - at a slightly more accessible price.

Reviewed by Mumsnet editor Jenny Wonnacott: Read our in-depth Miele Guard M1 Cylinder Vacuum review

As someone who tried two versions of the much-loved (and sadly now discontinued) Miele C3 Cat & Dog - a long-standing Mumsnetter favourite and our previous best cylinder vacuum award winner - I was keen to see whether the Guard M1 could replace it. Thankfully, it really does. It has the same sturdy, no-nonsense feel, improved dustbag sealing and the reassurance of being tested to the equivalent of 20 years’ use, which already puts it a step above most rivals.

As you’d expect from premium brand Miele, the cleaning performance is excellent. The 890W motor and well-designed floor heads provide brilliant suction across both carpets and hard floors. It’s heavier than the cordless Dyson V15, but that’s to be expected with a cylinder vacuum - and the trade-off is far fewer trips to empty the bin compared with a cordless model.

The Turbobrush is also fantastic and excels at lifting pet hair, though be warned: it does tangle easily, so you’ll need to cut out the hair between uses.

At around £349, it’s pricier than the Henry HVR160 yet still far below Dyson territory - and given the suction power, longevity and overall build quality, I think it offers excellent value for money. If you loved the C3 or simply want a powerful, long-lasting cylinder vacuum, the M1 is a worthy successor.

Reviewed by Mumsnet floor care editor Natasha Gregson: Read our in-depth Gtech AirRAM 3 Cordless Vacuum review

Mumsnetters rave about the Gtech AirRAM MK2, so I was keen to try out the all-new and improved AirRAM 3 model, and it did not disappoint. Unlike our best upright pick, the Shark Stratos XL, it's cordless and lightweight, weighing just under 4kg (for reference, the Stratos weighs more than double at 8.1kg). This makes it great for quick clean ups and moving about the house - though bear in mind you will have to empty the dust bin more frequently.

The suction is excellent, scoring 10/10 in our tests, and it guzzled up everything from corn flakes to hair strands no problem. It even occasionally sucked up things it shouldn't have done - like a stray sock - but luckily this is something Gtech has thought of, and it comes with a helpful blockage detection feature that stops the vacuum immediately. The edge cleaning is also great, rivalling our top pick, the Dyson V15.

I was impressed with the battery life too. It offers up to 30 minutes of runtime, which might sound less than some competitors at first glance, but considering it has a single suction setting that rivals the V15’s turbo mode, it’s more than decent.

My biggest gripe is the lack of attachments - there's nothing included to clean your sofas or hard-to-reach corners, and I struggled to do a thorough clean without reaching for a separate handheld. Considering the price, this was disappointing in terms of value for money, but its powerful suction, ease of use, battery life and high-tech design still make it a five-star vacuum.

Reviewed by Mumsnet floor care writer Laura Cooke: Read our full Henry Quick review

Mumsnetter favourite Henry didn't just wow us at MNHQ with the classic HVR160 model - the brand has also joined the ranks of the best cordless vacuum cleaners, with impressive results.

The relatively new Henry Quick, complete with Henry’s trademark cheery smile emblazoned on the handle, is a powerful cordless vacuum that’s easy to assemble, use and empty. Although it’s marketed as lightweight, I found it a little on the heavy side when used as a handheld. Despite this, it offered good manoeuvrability as a stick vacuum, even on the stairs.

In terms of suction, it performed brilliantly, picking up most things I threw at it during testing - including porridge oats, cat hair, and dried mud. The only time it struggled was with Cheerios on a laminate floor, as the brush head broke them into smaller pieces and scattered them around. When I switched to the combi tool, it sucked them up with no problem, so as long as you choose the right tool for the job, it’s a great cleaner.

One small grumble is that, unlike some cordless vacuums on this list, you do have to switch modes between hard floor and carpets. One advantage over other those models, however, is its larger capacity (1L) compared with the Dyson V15 (0.76L) or Gtech AirRAM 3 (0.8L).

The scent pods are also a nice touch, especially if you’re battling pet pongs, though you will need to factor in the cost of replacements. For dust-free emptying, I think it's worth it though.

Reviewed by Mumsnet editor Jenny Wonnacott: Read our in-depth Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua 2-in-1 Vacuum & Mop review

The Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua has been a game-changer in my cleaning routine. It’s incredibly versatile, working as a vacuum, mop and handheld device all in one, and I was impressed by how seamlessly it handles all three tasks (sometimes simultaneously!). Mopping, in particular, felt so much easier, and I loved how it took the hassle out of what used to be a time-consuming chore.

I found the three suction modes - eco, auto, and turbo - really useful, though it did take me a little while to figure them out. Turbo mode gave the best results for quick vacuuming but drained the battery faster, so I stuck to auto mode most of the time. The battery life (up to 40 minutes in eco mode) was plenty for tackling my ground floor in one go, though it needed a recharge if I wanted to clean the whole house.

Whether I needed a quick clean-up after my kids, a speedy mop around or even a portable vacuum while we were on holiday, the Unlimited 7 Aqua proved to be a great wet and dry vacuum for family life. It’s lightweight, easy to use and is a well-thought-out solution for day-to-day cleaning.

The biggest downsides were the slow charge time, small capacity (0.3L) and price (RRP £500). That said, it does come with a 10-year motor guarantee, and it's still far cheaper than the wet-dry version of our best vacuum pick, the Dyson V15s Submarine.

Reviewed by Mumsnet tester Alison: Read our in-depth Eufy Clean X10 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum Cleaner with Mop review

Mumsnetters love the eufy X10 Pro Omni - and after testing it out, we can see why. From the moment it came out of the box, this handy robot vac was easy to get up and running. While the app and its settings weren't the most intuitive at first, once paired it offered full control over scheduling, cleaning zones, and maintenance alerts. We also loved that it came pre-charged and ready to go; there's something so satisfying about using a shiny new gadget straight away.

Over several weeks of daily use, this robot vac impressed our tester with its ability to vacuum and mop effectively - and more importantly, without her having to lift a finger. It even empties its own bin, refills and changes its mop water, and washes its own mop heads. Clever stuff.

While the robot’s AI meant it dodged shoes with ease, tasselled rugs remain its downfall (a quick untangle was needed). It cleaned most surfaces effectively, though, and performance on carpets was excellent - it handled pet hair and everyday dirt without issue, even navigating under furniture. For hard floors, it left things clean and dry within minutes - though you’ll still need a floor mop (or something similar the Bosch Unlimited 7 above) to remove tougher stains.

If you’ve got the money to spare, we think it's an excellent buy, and it’s undoubtedly one of the best robot vacuum cleaners you can get your hands on. It may be pricey, but it made us feel like we were nailing daily housework with zero effort - and that feeling of being on top of things at home is absolutely priceless.